Party-line telephone system.



12.0. 03011. 4 PARTY LINE TELEPHONE SYSTEM,

APPLICATION FILED HARM, 1904.

1,050,532. Patented Ja11.14,1913.

i-a l mlm-l IF Mam ARE} Ca anon; 'm stmsmaizcm:- nEW YORK, A in is? T3." 3L1 11 THLEPHON E Marc-1a To 01'! whum '5 may mi B0 it known that L citizen 9f the llniicd z and resident o Trenimi Mercer (family; New Jorscv, have invent ll rennin um i and USEfU Empmwme-nl in Pzuiylline Telephone Splems in": is a specification. U

My in 'entlnn wn'templnhw a party line islephone. system in which gpi-m'ieiinn i made for enabling the upurz'itiini v. 'lhz: SlltlOn 0i" excmnge in control. war between two & bacrihms (E11 iho 541K110 line Broadly slated thiai'cfnre, :1 pziisly telephone 5 0f my invention is chzn'nvierrizerl by nn: under the control of thy npcratm fir-1 i'c daring Jr-c fipfrill'illll 'i any sulystaliun a particular linf; lflUPif'YilllJG is the exl that :1, subscriber a!" such sink 1 hear whatever can niion inn; he go ng on Over line in qne finrn hm: 110% in the 1 extent that the nperaim' mnnnv hem snvh mnwrsation. i

More spncificnlly {Z611 ilerm'i, party line I ha principles i a im; in: follvwing l 1 i 1 i i l l l i 1 l mm enihmlying the garnish of my invention 15 ul HflClQll i under the cnnlrul of the one .61 In? uni-- ting out or slwrt-ciwnitlng the nuhrymrihcn, rea-eivers, whereby, shnnhl the ngwmmiwi in nth-p conwsrsntinn DQiWi n my ix'sn wanscrilms 011 one line, this V 23v slzintly shun :licniiu iherehy I'ilidtl'QLl in apvz'ntinj in i that the snlesi-e'ihers cnmwi lislvn '2: m .31 csive tclenhunii: vonnnnulxxiim lint noi in an extunll'u i'f-xtfl'lill She ir-pvi-nlvr {HUN innui'ng what the s2. Hilll s ny.

Considmml gill! am a spirezilicnlly, a pnrhy line tvlephnn: wlllii enihmlying ihu principles of in im'vniinn l.- vim m fli by an urnu'igiu i. *nt 01; ihimving; anhwriller rmwiiwrs Ulllall own-MUM ihrmying huiu cin'icni nix in z in vncrgimldnys having inn-in 'ciyvuit-a'ilmimg mniicis, l mirnin lx-nnhn l1 .T-i'i-(lf(" telephone sysimn embodying t '20: in} 11mins of the. usual in 'lnci i pan-ulna of '{h illfli fif @FFIQE.

mm 182' MESNE ABSIGNMENTS, wMPANY, G}? BDCHESTER,

al 310-. 199,1Q6.

ihe principles of In inveniclep Lem cmnpnses a sub- 5 fbern h connirsting of panllel line wires m: limbs l and tefiminat-ing at. the cenirnl nation 01 (Xi-hangs in the usual line jack As shuwn, thi'e are but two snlr-slulimis A and B; but it will be under- SiUOd that. many more sub-slations can he lo-cnicil on the line as may be found neces- Filly OI (lirsimhlm in ihe pni-iimilaf el'nbodinicntof my in- "nntifln iii r'ilsil, ihr system is of that iiicnl' whiQh the current for furnished from. local e usual and Well- .Lenl, Wl the mode ch11 minim, vhnlcs ihe usual transmitters a and 1", connetiai'l in nudes with the batteries, and alsu in with the windings (7, and Z) m coils, and with the iim latier being aclnptecl, the rsmim'al of the I'6CQlV engage the nornmllyopen anil l), f. As usual in ap- -a character, the said recoivgns; an comm: in sci'ies will; the induction mil vimling'n (17 and U, which latter are re- '])*L.Cll' l(i wnnmzivil with the contacts a and I). Bali" in whlition, and as a. particular lawn: n? iln: means fm' attaining the object 0i my inwniinn, lln: subsmi'lun appu *al us illH J nvludns relay mugnvts a :nnl U the in pznullul wiih their IPSPQCllW? revolvers and induction coil wind ings 11: shown. Also, the mm relay mag- Qrs cmmncls is. a"

l ziktll ilL'Hlillll lhc will. resrv mrsi The coils of ihe will relays inn wiwn sl he of such i""-i ;i:u'i"v roln ly in inc i'znlmlmn 0011 winning: in, in Lil n0 nay interferewill the wr nriinn of the S'Lllkl'ililllfll l\ -\'(.'tl', that mn'incls upurnlvn i0 he x'cceiwsrs, and it impo; me for the suben in 01. hear each oihcr, 9r

even hear the operator; but at the some time the operator ran hear Whatever the sub seriloers say The operators talking set, consisting of. the usual transmitter C and ret-eiver D, is adapted to be connected with the line through the medium of switch springs E, and (an be employed by the operator in the usual manner for conversing with the subscrihers. The operators equipment may also include the usual flexible connecting cord, prm'ided at each end with a plug suitable for insertion in the spring jacks or terminal sockets of the different lines is illustru :(l, only one of: said plugs is shown, and this plug-F is-ndapted to be inserted in the jack 3 for the purpose of establishing connection between the substations A and B and the operators talking set. Also this plug may, it will. he understood, serve as the medium of eonneetion between the sol) seribers line shown and some other sulr serihers line. In addition to the foregoing the operators equipment also includes key springs (i of a suitable switch for connecting the battery H with a suhseribers line-- that is to say when the plug is in the ark. Preferably, the eonneetions between the said battery and the switch contacts 1 inelude the impedance (oils 9. ll ith this urrangen'tentit is obvious that an operator at central run, after the plug of the cord circuit is inserted in the jack, throw hatter current on to. u suhscrihefls line by simply pressing the key of the switch including the springs (l and the (ont'aets g.

It will be readily understood that the various devices and instruments shown and described may be of any suitable known or approved character. It will also be under-- stood that any of the various known or approve/t devices can be employed for signaling between the substations and the ex change or central station. Also, it is oh vious that my invention, involving means controlled by the operator for rendering the subscribers receivers inoperative without; making it lHlPOSSll'llt" for the operator to henr whatever may be said by the sub seriliers, may be embodied in n telephone systern of any other known or approved char :ieter,

No suppose that the subseribers at substations A untl P; are conversing, and that the operator desires to stop the converse tion. In such case, all that is necessary is for the operator to press the. key for operating, the switch springs G, so to throw halter v (llll ,1 (ll to the line wires 1 and The lmtler t vurrent thus permitted to flow throu i a line t'ltt'l'lli inell'uling both liiulir of the lint, the switch l'iooli's, the eontaets t and 1 end. the (ullr of the relay magnets 1 null 5/, results in the rlosing oi' the runtzurt of these rtlafxs nu l the ronsetuient short-cireuiting of the receivers a and b, H" i h m v [3(11 to s or olI'Ltnmd, t tse IQQLlVQiS obviously cannot us tor hsteznngan or rewiring telephonic com niunication But it 1 equally obvious that the ibseriherssulrstntmn apparatus, when whieh the line terminates and means corntrolla le at the ventral station for render ing the sub-station apparatus inoperative to receive, together with operators means for listening-in on the line, and provisions for enabling the operator to hear the suhserihers u" n the latter cannot receive.

A, part line telephone system ooinprising sunstrihers line a plurality of substations on said line a central station at which the line terminates, and means new d the subscribers v tux-halite at the central station for rendering:

the sub station apparatus inoperative for intertmnun ation between the sub-stnlions to;- ther with operatois means for listenir on the line, and provisions for enabling th e operator to hear the subscribers when the hitter cannot reeeive.

A party line telephone comprising a s'u" seriber's line, a plurality of substations on said line, a central station at which the line terminates, and means eontrolluhle at the central station for short.- eireuiting; elements of the substation apprn'atus essential to telephonic communication between stations, together with op erators means for listeningdn on the line, and provisions for enabling; the operator to the snhs rihers when the latter cannot;

with said line, noru'ia1l.y-open .iit e eonneet'ions eat-h eonner d in 1 u i, 'with one of said receivers, relays for o; "ring and closing said short-6ireuiting .v time, a central source of current for fiiug said relays. and an operators if it'eh for eontrolling the energiaing of said toither with operators means for lingo: on the line, and provisions for lilrlf the operator to hear the subscribers enthe latter eannot receive.

- ii i tr-phone system eorn nis' line, a plurality o will said line, short'cirv h eouuec l: purulsiznl revelers, relays al o lift connected with the line and adapted to control the short-circuiting connections, and means including a sourceo'f current and an operators switch for controlling the energizing of said relays, together with operators means for listening-iii on the line, and provisions for enabling the operator to hear the subscribers when the. latter cannot receive.

6. A party line telephone s stem com rising a subscribers line, a purality 0 receivers connected with the said line, a plurality of transmitters and local batteries for furnishing the talking current, normallyopen short-circuiting connections extending around said receivers, relays connected wit the line and adapted for controlling the short-circuiting connections, and means under the control of the operator for throwing battery current on to the line and thereby energizing said relays, together with operator's means for listening-in on the line, and provisions for enabling the operator to hear the subscribers when the latter cannot receive.

7. In a tele hone system, the combination of a subscribers receiver, a normallyopen short-circuiting connection extending around said receiver, a relay for opening and closing said connection, and means includin a battery and suitable switching devices or energizing and deiinergizing said relay, together with an associated transmitter adapted to remain operative when the receiver is short'circuited.

8. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, of a receiver in a bridge of the limbs of said line, a normally open'shuntabout. said receiver, and means actuated over the limbs of said line in series for electrically controlling said shunt whereby the receiver alone may be short circuited.

9. A party line telephone system, comprising' a subscribers line, a plurality of substations on said line, and means whereby the operator may, by throwing battery current onto the line, render the subscribers" receiving instruments inoperative. but without affecting the operativeness of the transmit-ting instruments. and whereby the operator may listen-in on the line and thus control conversation between two subscribers on the same line.

10. The combination of a line circuit, a plurality of stations on the line, and means whereby the operator may render the re eeiving instruments at said stations inoperativc, but without affecting the operative ness of the transmitting' instrlnncnts, aw whereby the operator may listen in on thline and thus control the conversation between an two stations on the same line.

11. In a telephone exchange system, the combination of a telephone line, a plurality of substations on said line, a receiver and transmitter and local battery at each sub station, a normally open shunt around each receiver, a relay controlling each shunt, a spring ack connected with the line, a central batter ,a lug and cord and listening in means or t e operator, and connections by which the operator connects the central batte with the line to energize said relays.

12. n a telephone system, a receiver, a rela in shunt of said receiver, and a normali y open shunt circuit around said receiver controlled by said relay.

13. In a telephone system, a metallic line, a receiver bridged across said line, a relay in shunt of said receiver, and a parallel bridge circuit in shunt around said receiver controlled by said relay.

14. In a telephone system, a subscribers substation, a receiver therefor, a relay adapted to be included in shunt of said receiver when the receiver is removed from the switch-hook, and a shunt circuit around said receiver controlled by said relay. 15. In a telephone system, a receiver and a resistance, a relay in shunt of said receiver and resistance, and a contact of said relay adapted to short-circuit the receiver where by the resistance and relay are then in parallel.

16. In a telephone system, the combination with a subscribers station, of a transmitter and receiver thereat and means partially controlled fromthe central otiice for preventing the subscriber from receiving telephonic communication, but permitting the subscriber to send telephonic coi'nmuui cation.

17. In a telephone system, the combination with a subscribers station, of receiving and sending telephonic instruments at said station, and means partially under the control of the central office for rendering the receiving instrument at said station inoperative, without disabling said sending instrument.

18. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, extending in two limbs from the substation to the central otfice, of a receiver switch-hook and a relay at the substation, means for connecting the re eiver in a bridge between the limbs of said line by the actuation of said switchhook and means for disabling said receiver by the actuation of said relay.

Signed by me at 'lrcnton; Mercer county, New Jersey, this Tth day of March, 1904.

BERNARD (I. GROH.

Witnesses (litmus J. tco'rr. 

